May 18, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 01, 1428

RAWALPINDI, May 17: District Government would recruit 3,000 teachers within a year to overcome shortage of teachers in the educational institutions of Rawalpindi district.

“Hopefully with the appointment shortage of teachers would be overcome,” said District Nazim Raja Javed Ikhlas.

He was presiding over the second meeting of District Coordination Committee on International Labour Organization (ILO), Idara-e-Taleem-o-Agahi (ITA) Child Labour Project for District Rawalpindi.

District Nazim said an amount of Rs20 million is being transferred to the Education Department for facilitating educational institutions.

“I have set June 30, 2007 as deadline for authorities concerned to accomplish this task,” he said.

Chairperson ITA Bela Raza Jameel gave a detailed presentation about challenges in education sector, performance of drop-in centres being run by ITA for the uplift and education of rag-picking children and literacy ratio in the district Rawalpindi.

She said that 10 drop-in centres are being run by ITA in the twin cities and 1,193 children from rag-picking sectors are enrolled in these centres.

For an overall improvement in education sector, she suggested for child labour monitoring system and school monitoring committees for effective local governance and as key planning decision-making units.

Javed Ikhals also assured financial assistance to drop-in centres for hiring buildings to carry out the programme with quality.

Regarding better educational infrastructure, Javed Ikhals said various educational institutions are being upgraded to provide best education environment to the students.

As many as 74 schools are upgraded during last one and half year while efforts would continue for further improvement, he said.

District Nazim said that around 100 education institutions would be provided electricity soon.

Bela Raza said that the literacy rate in the district Rawalpindi stood at 70.5 per cent. The District Nazim vowed to increase the literacy rate through the provision of better facilities in the educational institutions.

“There is a need of resources along with special attention to improve the literacy rate,” he remarked.—APP